- January 4, 2026
Fossil analysis adds to debate over how earliest known hominin walked
Sahelanthropus fossils (centre) compared with a chimpanzee (left) and a human (right) Wiliams et al., Sci. Adv. 12, eadv0130 A long-running and bitterly fought dispute
How to cultivate a positive mindset
Not stopping on a run when you feel the urge helps practise self-control miljko/Getty Images Olivia Remes is a mental health and well-being researcher at
Mathematicians unified key laws of physics in 2025
The equations that govern fluids can be tricky to handle Vladimir Veljanovski / Alamy In 1900, mathematician David Hilbert presented his colleagues with a list
2025’s best photos of the natural world, from volcanoes to icebergs
Mount Etna erupting European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery Mount Etna in Sicily is the world’s most active stratovolcano, which is a high, conical volcano created
The best space pictures of 2025, from supernovae to moon landings
The supernova remnant SNR 0509-67.5 as seen by the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope ESO/P. Das et al. Background stars (Hubble): K. Noll et
Putting data centres in space isn’t going to happen any time soon
Starcloud wants to build a data centre satellite that is 4 kilometres by 4 kilometres Starcloud Could AI’s insatiable thirst for colossal data centres be
Strange lemon-shaped exoplanet defies the rules of planet formation
An artist’s impression of PSR J2322-2650b NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI) Astronomers have found what appears to be one of the strangest known worlds
Some Arctic warming ‘irreversible’ even if we cut atmospheric CO2
A glacier meets the sea in Dickson Fjord, Greenland Jane Rix/Alamy The Arctic will retain about 1.5°C of warming even if the carbon dioxide in
Killer whales and dolphins are ‘being friends’ to hunt salmon together
A Pacific white-sided dolphin approaching a killer whale, as recorded from a camera worn by the killer whale University of British Columbia (A.Trites), Dalhousie University
How worried should you be about screentime?
Marco_Piunti/Getty Images Wait, stop scrolling! How long have you been on your phone today? Is social media rotting your brain? We are constantly asking questions
